Also in Garda Lake you can only make drift launch. In the above video they use a different way, they actually launch from the boat. In Como lake everyone (7 or 6 certified schools) use the method I explained in the last post. Nobody has problem, I frankly can't see the danger: the lines are unwrapped by the instructor, the kite is launched by the beginner only after the instructor checked everything is ok and, in any case, the sail is in the instructor hands so he can choose the right angle and feel when it's time to launch. There are I think in summer a hundred or more drift launch every day! It's far more safe for a beginner being in deep water in the center of the lake with no obstacles than launching on a narrow rocky beach with shallow water, trees, walls, sunbathers etc.Let's say the kite for any reason begins to death loop or so, there's the boat that immediately stops the kite, no problem at all.

Hi Kamikuza, actually no need of a turbo launcher. On the boats instructors use a "wooden bone" (a bone shaped piece of wood). The procedure is simple: perfectly inflate the kite on the beach, clear the lines and connect. Then, with the lines in order, wrap the lines on the bone till you reach the bar, fix the bone on the bar, close the bladder valves, deflate the LE only and put the so prepared kite on the boat. When it's time to launch, the beginner hooks in and swim back keeping the bar while the instructor unwrap the lines from the bone. Then the instructor inflates the LE and launches from the Zodiac as described above. Easy and safe!

Hi Kamikuza, actually no need of a turbo launcher. On the boats instructors use a "wooden bone" (a bone shaped piece of wood). The procedure is simple: perfectly inflate the kite on the beach, clear the lines and connect. Then, with the lines in order, wrap the lines on the bone till you reach the bar, fix the bone on the bar, close the bladder valves, deflate the LE only and put the so prepared kite on the boat. When it's time to launch, the beginner hooks in and swim back keeping the bar while the instructor unwrap the lines from the bone. Then the instructor inflates the LE and launches from the Zodiac as described above. Easy and safe!

Sounds like the same idea - I'm not promoting one or the other though! Would be the way to do: lines checked and secured on shore, then just unwound in the water.

Glad I don't have to drift launch... self-launching is a PITA enough at times...

You're right Nico, but imagine the situation: schools can work only in the middle of the lake. They usually drop 4/6 kiters from a Zodiac, all beginners who 90% are going to lose their board 100 times a day. The instructor on the Zodiac (sometimes alone) can't afford to recover a board every time one of his students lose it. The other way, beginners would pass their day trying to recover their board instead of concentrating on water starts, first legs, upwind and so on.So the logical solution is helmet, impact vest (better if it's also a floating device) and good luck. Keep in mind that lesson on the lake normally mean 12/14 knots, not 25 and that total beginners use no more than a 9 (in 12 knots...).Anyway injuries are really rare, I can't remember a case of a seriously injuried beginner while coaching. The real dangerous part of the game here is when the beginner decide that's time to start by himself from the beach, since the first times are really not easy when you have to be careful to lot of (very hard) obstacles, gusty wind near the shore, all in a crowded spot together with windsurfers, kayaks, boats and so on.

You're right Nico, but imagine the situation: schools can work only in the middle of the lake. They usually drop 4/6 kiters from a Zodiac, all beginners who 90% are going to lose their board 100 times a day. The instructor on the Zodiac (sometimes alone) can't afford to recover a board every time one of his students lose it. The other way, beginners would pass their day trying to recover their board instead of concentrating on water starts, first legs, upwind and so on.So the logical solution is helmet, impact vest (better if it's also a floating device) and good luck. Keep in mind that lesson on the lake normally mean 12/14 knots, not 25 and that total beginners use no more than a 9 (in 12 knots...).Anyway injuries are really rare, I can't remember a case of a seriously injuried beginner while coaching. The real dangerous part of the game here is when the beginner decide that's time to start by himself from the beach, since the first times are really not easy when you have to be careful to lot of (very hard) obstacles, gusty wind near the shore, all in a crowded spot together with windsurfers, kayaks, boats and so on.

This isn't drift launch related but does relate to number of students.

I was speaking about our lake Ronnie, if it's blowing 5/6 no instructor is so fool to go coaching in the middle of a cold lake with 4 beginners. Here lessons for beginnes take place in 12/14 knots, that is the normal thermal summer wind. When it's blowing hard from north nobody is kitesurfing because is crazy gusty, from 0 to 40 in 2 seconds. In these conditions we normally enjoy a windsurfing session.

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